Artwork
The birth of Mary
The birth of Mary is an oil painting by Meister der Divisio Apostolorum. It dates from 1496 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Overview
Meister der Divisio Apostolorum’s oil on panel, dated 1496, depicts a domestic interior in which a woman lies on a bed beneath a red blanket, attended by two figures. The composition is framed by a gold‑toned wall, green drapery, and a tiled floor, while a small table bearing a mirror and a cup occupies the foreground.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is identified as the Virgin Mary at the moment of her birth, surrounded by a female attendant in green who holds an infant, and an elderly man with a white beard in a red cloak, likely representing Saint Joachim. The scene conveys the sanctity of Mary’s nativity within a modest, intimate setting.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil paint, the work displays careful modeling of flesh and fabric through layered glazes, creating subtle tonal transitions. The artist employs a restrained palette of reds, whites, and greens, and renders the tiled floor and gold background with precise linear perspective, reflecting late‑15th‑century Northern European conventions.
History & Provenance
Created in 1496, the painting entered the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, where it remains on display. Its attribution to the anonymous master known as Meister der Divisio Apostolorum derives from stylistic analysis linking it to other works of the same workshop.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
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